Video: Hollywood comedian outraged that Congress didn’t take him seriously, or something

posted at 12:41 pm on February 28, 2014 by Ed Morrissey

Let me start out by saying that I like Seth Rogen in films, for the most part, although I found This Is The End tiresome. Outside of films, Rogen seems like a personable and reasonably intelligent man. However, I don’t think of Rogen as such an expert on health issues that Congress should drop everything and listen to his rap on Alzheimer’s, no matter how well intentioned or sincerely and personally felt, but that’s what he and Chris Matthews apparently expect. Your mileage, and that of Fishwrapper’s Sarah Taylor, may vary:

Fact is … if Senators are multi-tasking and have to choose which meetings to attend, Seth and his anecdotes, may not be at the top of the heap. Not that his anecdotes aren’t moving — they are, but personal tales aren’t necessarily the best way to drive the government.

In harsher terms, Congress should not pass legislation so Senators can thump their chests to star-struck voters because some big celebrity told a tear-jerking story.

It’s good Seth got in some selfies at the White House, and even acknowledged he’s self-absorbed, but really, enough already.

The truth is that what Matthews described should be ridiculed, not set as an expectation. He’s correct that Washington politicians usually thunder into committee rooms to fawn over celebrities who try leveraging their publicity for their cause du jour, but it’s not because those sessions are enlightening. Remember Meryl Streep showing up to push the Alar panic back in the 1980s? How about Jenny McCarthy’s anti-vaccine activism based on fraudulent research? The truth is that most celebrities offer heat rather than light to any issue on which they testify, rather than light, which is because they spend most of their time making films and generating publicity rather than conduct science on their own.

Frankly, if members of Congress had nothing better to do than rub elbows with a comedian specializing in hipster-stoner movies, they should be back home talking to actual constituents.

Taylor’s a little harsh in her headline description of Rogen as a “self-absorbed, petulant, unsophisticated child,” but this is certainly a self-absorbed and petulant rant. Despite what Rogen might think of his own expertise, he is not the sine qua non of Alzheimer’s research and expertise, nor is blowing off a celebrity-stunt appearance on Capitol Hill an indication that no one in Congress cares about the disease. Perhaps this experience will provide an opportunity for some personal growth in humility … or at least better films than This Is The End, a self-absorbed, unsophisticated, and childish comedy.

However, I don’t think of Rogen as such an expert on health issues that Congress should drop everything and listen to his rap on Alzheimer’s, no matter how well intentioned or sincerely and personally felt

At least Rogen went into the hearings a b-list celebrity. Remember how Sandra Fluke got her celebrity status? Pelosi tried to bump a legitimate healthcare expert from a Congressional hearing to showcase a “struggling law student” who needed the government to pay for her birth control. When Fluke didn’t get her day in the sun, Pelosi actually staged a sham “hearing” just so that the cameras could record a young woman complaining that the thousand dollars a year in birth control should be paid by Obamacare.

In short, while there is valid criticism and little value in celebrities showing up to talk about their pet causes, there is even less value when individuals with nothing of value to add show up and become celebrities as a result of their appearance (and Rush Limbaugh’s accurate depiction of somebody who has a four digit birth control budget).

Funny, This is the End is one of the few Seth Rogen movies I actually enjoyed… though Observe and Report is probably the best he’s done. After those two I have a difficult time thinking of a movie of his I actually enjoyed… I guess he did some decent voice work for some animated films :P

I’d say that depends on how Constantine defines “Hollywood.” I may not consider everyone that stars in or makes a film a member of “Hollywood,” but anyone that speaks about things they have no real world knowledge about is a “vapid, fake person” in my book… too many “Hollywood” people participate in that action, and are thus vapid fake people.

When you Observe and Report Fanboys like a 40 Year Old Virgin, like Superbad Seth Rogen, you can only conclude that You Me and Dupree would rather get Knocked Up then Deep Inside Funny People who have Guilt Trips about Congress (Monsters Vs Aliens). Watching Harry and Nanski make a Porno would be preferable to smoking some Pineapple Express and seeing The Green Hornet take on Kung Fu Panda in a Sausage Party. This is truly the End when I have to look up this schmuck on IMDB and can’t make anything sound funny … but hey as Al Pacino would undoubtedly say to Congress “You’re all out of order!”

I expected to, and that’s why I waited for it to get to cable.
But I thought it was much much better than tiresome.
Some incredibly funny bits. And as crass as he can be, just another excellent example of how great Danny McBride can be.
No range, but the guy he does always play is hysterical.

And no doubt many cons/righties might enjoy the depiction of many Hollywood actors meeting dramatic and fiery apocalyptic ends.

I expected to, and that’s why I waited for it to get to cable.
But I thought it was much much better than tiresome.
Some incredibly funny bits. And as crass as he can be, just another excellent example of how great Danny McBride can be.
No range, but the guy he does always play is hysterical.

And no doubt many cons/righties might enjoy the depiction of many Hollywood actors meeting dramatic and fiery apocalyptic ends.

Hollywood stars who self-proclaim professional level knowledge of something other than acting are simply lobbyists and should be viewed as such. They have no more status on any issue unless they are truly knowledgeable about the topic and have proof of that gained knowledge. Going to a country to act in a movie gives no more knowledge than I have staying at home and reading the newspapers. Having experienced a parent or relative with a disease does, if you are primary care taker you have some extra knowledge but it is hard to believe an actor who is gone large chunks of time would be a primary care giver so we can feel compassion but there is nothing to learn there.

For the record, yes, Eastwood was a mayor of Carmel CA as had been Sonny Bono who went on Congress until he died. Apparently, that job does give one some political status but not necessarily any exceptional knowledge of an illness or a usage of a chemical insecticide.

He peaked in the television show Freaks and Geeks. I find his movies moronic and gross but, good on him for speaking out for Alzheimer’s. It’s a horrible disease but no one is required to listen to him.

He’s also wrong about looking to the government for “hope.” I look to individuals like Seth Rogen and his Hilarity for Charity idea along with other AD charities like The Chicago Rita Hayworth Gala and Unforgettable Art: An Affair for Alzheimer’s.

Seth Rogan’s a useless idiot. His films are passable, at best. He would not be missed, if he were to disappear. Jonah Hill could take over all his parts and no one would ever know.

That said, most politicians are just as clueless and unqualified about these topics as the idiot actors are. Barky and his gang aren’t even qualified to run a junior high school, let alone lecture the clueless dolts in Congress about anything … but these are the sub-human slimeballs we have throwing around trillions of our dollars that they exact from us at gunpoint …

There’s probably a “50/50” chance that people will find your post funny. Actually, wasn’t trying to be snarky. Thought your post was creative, but wanted to add that 50/50 is a decent movie that without Seth’s character, I think it would be too depressing to watch. He did a credible job in it.

The very premise of the movie is that us common folk are so enamoured with Hollyweird that Seth would be cool enough to make a movie showing how entirely normal (look, they’re just like us) they are. Meanwhile, it SCREAMS elitism on so many levels.

Aside from the all out verbal assault on my ears with more f-bombs than I could count, I couldn’t even believe we let this imbicile into a Congressional hearing.

However, I don’t think of Rogen as such an expert on health issues that Congress should drop everything and listen to his rap on Alzheimer’s

Then why did they have him appear? If his poor mother-in-law were suffering from AIDs, the room would have been full and the cash would have been flowing. If government money is going to be used on medical research, I’d much rather it go towards Alzheimers than AIDs, which is almost 100% preventable.

It’s courageous of Seth Rogan to take on that formidable pro-Alzheimer’s lobby, however, whatever I’ve seen him in involves him smoking pot/using drugs, It would appear that is what he has built his career on.
So I guess in Seth’s world it’s OK to go through your life avoiding lucidity with drugs but not with Alzheimer’s.

Ed, I love you man, your values, your intellect, but you sometimes fall into the very trap you decry in the modus operandi of the liberals, especially when they say climate change debate is over and the argument is settled. We know of course it isn’t. Reasonable people can look at the same information and disagree. Your consistent stance on vaccines is where I take issue with you. Your comment about fraudulent research is nearly the same as the liberal saying climate change deniers or people of faith are unscientific. There is considerable data to support a “healthy skepticism” of “government mandated” vaccine programs. It would take a man of your intellect a half a day to look deeper into it and see the concerns of the “vaccine deniers.” There are private courts for adjudicating and awarding damages to vaccine damaged families. The government subsidizes these awards through the 1986 Vaccination Damage Act, to keep the drug manufacturers harmless. The state enforced vaccination program is the original “nanny state program.” The debate may be settled in your mind, but for many concerned parents and those who live with vaccine damaged children, they have settled on a different conclusion. I’m with you about 100% of the time, but on this, we part company. With respect.

So, I read Ed’s post and, despite being a self-proclaimed lefty/liberal/progressive with an affinity for the sodomites in Hollywood, was actually ready to agree with him… until I watched the video.

Rogan isn’t being self-absorbed. His beef is that the senator’s didn’t take the entire hearing/issue seriously. He used the word “our” when describing the testimony; pointed out that two senators almost nodded off in the first half of the testimony. Hit them for asking questions that anyone who had been paying attention to the testimony wouldn’t have asked.

He was speaking as an advocate for Alzheimer’s research and prevention and felt, on the whole, the panel didn’t take ALL the testimony seriously.

I completely disagree with Ed’s take on this. It seems shallow and knee jerk, like, “oh, a hollywood liberal is talking, I should say something bad about him, even if it’s in a kindly way.”

Do I ask a doctor, or a physician, maybe a medical expert of some sort?

Wait, why not ask the guy who played the clueless idiot in “Knocked Up”? Clearly asking people with medical training about a medical issue is silly.

I should get all of my medical advice and treatment plans form actors.

Anyone want to guess how that will work?

First time I’ve ever been genuinely disappointed by the majority of the comments here. Normally it’s liberals letting their hate blind them from the reality.

He was there as a private citizen for a great cause and congress ignored him and anyone else who spoke. Suddenly we think congress had important stuff to do?

He’s a citizen, and if congress blows him off without a second though they will do the same to you when your time comes.

CVMA-Dredd on February 28, 2014 at 8:48 PM

There are 300 million of us… your argument is that if I or anyone else on this board with to address the Senate on any topic we’ll get 2 Senators to show up?

Your argument is that is plausible?

If I have a Local issue, I can get an appointment with the Mayor or my local government Representative in a week.

If I have a State issue I can make an appointment to drive to the capitol of my state and get an appointment in a couple weeks, month tops.

If I have a Federal issue… I’m screwed. There is no hope of getting to talk to anyone of any importance ever, or having my voice even heard much less my opinion holding any weight.

Every interaction I’ve had with the Government has been meaningless and abusive. I have a relative who was denied federal benefits for months because he couldn’t prove he had his birth defect when he was born. Even having receipts from the operations 40+ years ago, a day after his birth, weren’t considered sufficient. That took months of endless idiocy to sort out. Why should I expect better for an actor?

Actors should have the full Senate to convene to listen to them talk medicine, and we should be unhappy if they don’t? What if a janitor wants to talk nuclear engineering, should we convene the full Senate for that too?

He’s a citizen, and if congress blows him off without a second though they will do the same to you when your time comes.

CVMA-Dredd on February 28, 2014 at 8:48 PM

Given the incompetence of the government my fondest aspiration is never to have to deal with them at any time for any reason.

If idiots want a full house they should appear before the House of Representatives, they’ll take anyone seriously!
Even Sandra Fluke was taken seriously after she claimed that birth control costs for her and her friends were 3000 to 4000 dollars. Not anyone else, mind you, just them and people who won’t walk into Walmart.
Of course, she might have read the AHCA before congress did, she was a student at Georgetown after all.